If you can see yourself as God sees you, it changes everything. The correct image of God (He is good and loving) and correct image of self (the beloved of God because of the blood of Jesus), affects all of life. Truly believing it can cause the shackles of sin that "so easily entangle" (Heb. 12:1-3) to fall away and we would live in freedom. The freedom that God intends. The freedom talked about in a book Pastor Adam is using in his teaching: Discover Your True Self (by Chip Ingram). Most of us live life tangled up in numerous "false selves" that we have allowed our family of origin, our job, our friends, etc. to lay upon us.There are a plethora of things other than Christ that we can end up allowing to speak into our identity.
This series isn't about spouting some "positive self image" jargon. This is about beginning to believe and live from a place of knowing you matter to God because of what GOD says about you. This is about living in truth and freedom. If you and I can get to a place where we believe and live into who we are because of Jesus, it turns down the volume on all the other things that scream at us. It silences the voice of the evil one. Are you ready to turn down the volume?
INVITATION: "From life's outset, we find ourselves on the prowl, searching to satisfy some inner, unexplained yearning. Our hunger causes us to search for people who will love us. Our desire for acceptance pressures us to perform for the praise of others. Our desire to be loved and accepted is a symptom of a deeper need - the need that governs our behavior and is the primary source of our emotional pain. Often unrecognized, this is our need for self-worth." Dr. Robert McGee in "The Search for Significance."
MONDAY: I Peter 5:8: Do you resonate with the quote from the Invitation paragraph above? As we are "on the prowl" in life to satisfy some inner, unexplained yearning, notice who else is on the prowl. Satan is always looking for ways for us to become entangled in the slime of what others think about us and believing things that are not true. If satan can keep you stuck in that miry pit, he can keep you from living out your true self as God intended. You are invited to pray from Psalm 139 today, asking the Holy Spirit to "search you and know your heart" regarding ways you might be held down regarding your self image and search for the praise of others. What do you want to tell Jesus today about your desire to be loved and accepted?
TUESDAY: Pastor Adam shared something he has used in ministry for many years that still applies - no matter what age or stage: "I see the me that I think you see." We tend to see ourselves by how we think or believe others see us. Much of life is spent trying to outgrow this.
Chip Ingram's describes the most common formula people use to determine their self worth:
My performance + others opinions = my self worth
How might you spend time with Jesus this week asking Him to show you what HE wants you to know about yourself and your self worth? What does HE want you to know? What does He want you to do?
WEDNESDAY: Ephesians 1:7-8(a): We are redeemed and bought out of slavery by the currency of the blood of Jesus Christ - God's own son. His kindness has been showered on us, "along with all wisdom and understanding." James 4:2-3 says "We have not because we ask not." What would you like to ask for regarding wisdom and understanding in your life? We are all slaves to sin. We are all addicted to something. It could be food, approval, alcohol, exercise, etc. However, God spent ALL his riches so you could be freed from the slavery of these things. In what areas of your life do you desire freedom?
THURSDAY: Ephesians 1:8-10: The "why" to the verses from Wednesday, are because we are co-partners with God in redeeming the world. Our lives have purpose and value! Are you too bogged down in what others think about you or what others think to be able to co-partner with God? You have a Godly inheritance, purpose and plan. Are you ready to begin living in that and co-partnering alongside the One who knew you before the beginning of time and knit you together in your mother's womb?
FRIDAY: John 8:31-32: Notice that these verses do NOT say that head knowledge about truth will set you free. They say that the truth of Christ will set you free IF you put the principles into practice. As you take these verses into prayer, what might God be inviting you to know or do?
SATURDAY: From the Chip Ingram book, our attempts at success and approval lead to:
A) Compulsion, or B) Withdrawal.
COMPULSION: can lead to perfectionism, workaholism, being obsessed with outward appearances, and a tendency to use people for our own achievement.
WITHDRAWAL can tend to make us avoidant, cease trying, gravitate to those who agree with us and run from places where we might not succeed.
Both compulsion and withdrawal can produce slavery, we become actors and only project and pretend in life. We play a role, rather than live out of our "true" self. If the "true you" is never seen and your life is spent posing and acting, you never feel loved.
The famous verse everyone knows is JOHN 3:16-17: God sent his son. Sometimes we get stuck on "the world" part and forget God sent his son for ME, personally. For YOU, personally. You are invited to read John 3:16 today, inserting your name into the verses.